Advice for Women

What to say on first dates

Everyone has expectations for first dates. Some singles expect Hollywood levels of romance with a tangible feeling of electricity in the air, magnetic sexual attraction, and a sense of having been made for each other. Others expect disappointment, a lack of chemistry, connection, or excitement.

The reality is that although most first dates fall short of both these high and low expectations, they can be time consuming and tiring. Fortunately, a research team at Stanford University (MacFarland, Jurafsky, and Rawlings) has identified the key ingredients for a successful date through scientific analysis.

The researchers recorded and examined 1,000 speed dates between graduate students to learn what flies and what flops. Here is what they found:

Advice for Women

Speak with confidence. A common mistake is for women to act passive and agreeable. In fact, men in the study chose to go on second dates with women who spoke with authority. Men were less interested in women who seemed hesitant and used verbal hedges, such as “maybe,” “sorta” or “kinda.” Women who expressed enthusiasm seemed more engaged in their own lives, and in the date.

Talk about yourself. Yes, seriously! Don't spend the whole date tooting your own horn, but do share your interests, like playing a wind instrument. Men and women agreed that they clicked best when the woman took the lead in conversation and used words such as “I,” “me,” and “myself.” Definitely spend time learning about him, but don't shy away from sharing stories from your life or filling him in on your passions and hobbies.

Raise and vary the pitch of your voice. The researchers found that men and women vary the pitch of their voice on a good first date to highlight their gender – women alter their pitch to sound more “feminine” while men deepen their voices to sound more “masculine.” This vocal change is subconscious, and serves as a subtle indication of attraction.

Find connections and shared values. Men seek out partners who share their interests and values. For example:

Male: I play the guitar –

Female: You do? Me too!

Male: That's great. Let's start a band.

If you follow these four simple guidelines, your first dates will lead to exciting second dates!

Elana Averbach is a dating coach and licensed therapist who teaches private clients how to date more effectively. She helps people optimize their online dating profiles, overcome approach anxiety, challenge negative self-concepts that are holding them back, and hone skills for building attraction. Learn more at www.kickstartlove.com/coaching.